Enigmatic Disappearance of Sujittra: The Mystery of Phuket’s Beloved Durian Vendor

In a shocking twist of fate, a seasoned durian vendor from Phuket found herself at the heart of a mystery that has left the bustling province of Surat Thani reeling. Known affectionately as Jay Kaew, 43-year-old Sujittra was a familiar face in the Pho Wai Market, where she sold the ‘king of fruits’ to locals and tourists alike. Her vibrant spirit and warm smile drew customers from near and far, making her stall a popular stop for those craving the pungent delicacy.

But on the evening of May 17, Sujittra’s usual routine took a concerning turn. She was last observed confidently driving away from the market on her trusty motorcycle at precisely 7:40 pm—her inevitable commute cut short as she seemingly vanished into thin air. What followed has perplexed her family, undone the peaceful rhythms of a tight-knit community, and sparked whispers of misfortune beneath the tropical sun.

It all began when her family, jittery with worry, reached out to the Mueang Surat Thani Police Station the following day, fearing the worst after numerous fruitless attempts to reach Sujittra on her phones. According to those closest to her, Sujittra was as punctual as clockwork, always returning home safely by nightfall. Yet, this time was different—calls to both her phones went unanswered, one stubbornly continuing to ring, while the other mockingly fell silent.

Sujittra, who often adorned herself with gold jewellery—a necklace, a bracelet—worth more than a dazzling million baht, had earned a tidy sum of over 100,000 baht from her sales on that fateful day. Her family, particularly her younger sister, couldn’t shake the chilling thought that greed had led someone to harm her beloved sibling. Past incidents lingered like shadows, recounting tales of misfortune that befell those who wore their wealth openly in public.

Joining hands with the local residents, Sujittra’s family organized a desperate search effort. They scoured the familiar pathways between her home—just a hopeful two kilometres from her market spot—and the likely trails she might have taken. There was a growing sense of urgency, echoing louder each time a similar tragic case returned to mind—a grim narrative of robbery, betrayal, and blood-stained gold.

Just last week, an incident not far from their province left an eerie blueprint. An 89-year-old woman, adorned with glinting gold, was reported missing only to be found lifeless in a secluded grassy grave. Her murderer, a motorcycle taxi driver who ferried her to a bank, found irresistible temptation in her richness. For a fleeting moment of wealth, he stole her life and bags laden with 260,000 baht worth of jewellery. Like thunderclaps still echoing, the town buzzed with tales of desperate motives—he claimed it was his children’s needs, but others pointed to a dark cocktail of gambling and alcohol as his true downfall.

As evening stains the sky and anxious whispers simmer at sunset, Sujittra’s tale has become more than an unfortunate disappearance—it embodies a question of safety, a parable of human nature’s darkest shades brought to light by a simple fruit vendor’s fate. Like a serialised drama played out in the daily news, her story sits amid a host of recent whispers of macabre happenings across Thailand. Each headline a breadcrumb leading back to the crux of humanity’s complex dance between good, evil, and fate.

For those who loved Sujittra, not a shadow passes without hope—a hope for answers, for justice, and for the cheerful durian vendor to emerge from the pages of enigma to reassure those who yearn for her return. Her story, her laughter, the sound of her bargaining over the pungent riches of the fruit, ripple through the air of Surat Thani, as the sun rises and falls on another day of mystery.